


Somewhere In Time

by CaptainOfDaShip



Category: Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, Somewhere in Time (1980), The Great Gatsby (1974), The Great Gatsby (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Boys In Love, Declarations Of Love, Falling In Love, Forbidden Love, Friendship/Love, Love, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:39:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26052811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainOfDaShip/pseuds/CaptainOfDaShip
Summary: When Nick is confronted by a mysterious man he learns that love can transcend time.
Relationships: Nick Carraway/Jay Gatsby
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	1. Come Back To Me

**Author's Note:**

> It's been about 6 months since I've really written anything. So please bare with me, my writing has gotten a little rusty. Anyhow I combined my favorite love story of all time "Somewhere In Time" with the "Great Gatsby." There are some thematic issues and changes I had to make for it to fit but hopefully it'll piece together nicely. If you haven't read or watched either story please do, they're really wonderful.

1969 In the library of Cornell University in upstate New York, was a man celebrating his very first published book. He was now a full fledged author. This man, Nick Carraway, sat in his uncomfortable chair signing books. Smiling and chatting amiably at his newly discovered fans. 

When one in particular caught his eye. It was an older gentleman, past his prime. But he had a face and eyes that you could sense the man was dashing in his youth. Nick stared, wondering why this man felt familiar to him. As a lady in front of him coughed trying to regain the author’s attention. 

“I’m sorry miss. Who would you like me to make this out to?”

“That’s quite alright.”

She giggled as Nick felt extremely awkward and fumbled with the book. 

“Please make it out to Daisy.” 

“Daisy? I have a cousin named Daisy.” 

“Really? That’s amazing, it’s a really rare name these days.”

“It is. She was named after my grandmother.

He signed the book quickly almost forgetting his own signature. 

“Alright Miss Daisy thank you for coming today, and I hope you enjoy the book.” 

“Thank you!” 

Nick continued to glance back at the older man, as the line dwindled. He was nervous that he was getting closer to him. He smiled and greeted his fans, praying it would be over soon. When he realized his pen finally ran out of ink. He bent down into his bag to grab a new one and called for the next person to have their book signed. 

“Next.” 

“Hello Old Sport.” 

Nick surged up nearly dropping the pen he just acquired. 

“Um, hi.” 

“May I have a signature?” 

“Um, yes of course.” 

Nick grabbed the book and hurriedly signed his name, surprised he managed it when his hand shook vehemently. 

“Um, I’m sorry but I noticed you earlier and I was wondering…well it’s just you look really familiar have we met before?” 

“In another time maybe.” 

“Maybe.” 

As he was about to leave the older man leaned down and whispered into his ear. 

“Come back to me.” 

And he left a gold cufflink on the table and left. 

Nick found himself confused and in a daze from then on. His mind and body were on autopilot as he continued signing. Hours later he finished signing the last book, and he felt exhausted. By now the sun had set and the library had become rather empty. 

The author gathered up his bag and slowly walked towards the front desk. There sat a frail woman, who looked as if she had been there since the first mortar of the building was laid. But she was as bright and witty as ever. 

“Closing time?” 

“Almost. So how was your first book signing?” 

“She hands him a copy of his book.” 

“Please make it out to Dorothy Anne.” 

Nick chuckled at how she had a copy as well. 

“Of course you would wait till I’m too tired to sign anything.” 

“Just thought I’d let your other fans come first.” 

“Well thanks. And the signing went well.” 

“There was a pretty large crowd for your first ever book.” 

“Yeah…yeah there was.” 

“I’m proud of you.” 

“Thanks…”

“Anyway I’m gonna head out.” 

“Alright good night.” 

Nick walked towards the exit as his hands fumbled around something in his pocket. He pulled it out and found it was the cufflink that old man gave him earlier. 

“Hey Dorothy?” 

“Hmm? Forget something?” 

“Yeah kind of. There was a really peculiar old man who gave this to me.”

He retraced his steps and deposited the cufflink onto the counter for her to inspect. 

“What did he look like?” 

“He was in his 60’s or 70’s and blue eyes and grey hair.” 

“Hmmm….” 

She grabbed the cufflink and stared at the symbol, trying to recollect where shes last seen it. 

“No, it couldn’t have been could it?” 

Nick follows the librarian to a room with Microfilm Readers. She scrambles with the machine, looking for news articles from the 20’s. As the author peered over her shoulder. 

“My mother used to tell me stories of a man who held grand parties, the likes of anyone has ever seen. This was back in the 20’s, I believe. Before the great depression.” 

She stopped at an article marked July 18, 1928 with the headlines ‘Lights Out.’ 

“Yes, here it is. Now it’s just a hunch but I believe you just met the infamous recluse host. THE Mr. Gatsby.” 

“Mr. Gatsby?” 

“Yes, here read this. I have to get back to closing up for the night.” 

“Thank you.” 

“No problem, take your time.” 

She left Nick to his thoughts as his eyes poured over the page. He read the article hungry for knowledge. 

“The dream is over, time to wake up. Infamous parties held by none other than the great man himself, Jay Gatsby, are now a thing of the past…The man in question hasn’t been sighted in weeks. Leaving many to question whether he has gone missing or is no longer showing his face to the public.” 

There was a photo of a handsome man smiling from cheek to cheek. And he instantly recognized him. He was indeed the man from earlier. Nick sat back rubbing his eyes, shocked at what he learned. What did the man mean when he said come back to him? It was getting late but he couldn’t stop staring at the photo. Everything about him felt familiar. 

Dorothy finally returned to tell him she’s leaving and he decided to quit for the night as well. He couldn’t shake the feeling on the way back home. Nor could he shake the feeling when he was preparing for sleep. He awoke the next morning still feeling like in a trance. Who was this Gatsby? And why did he feel like home?


	2. A link to the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick learns his past is intertwined with Gatsby's

A warmth crawled over Nick as his eyes finally peeled open. The kind of warmth you feel being held in a lover’s embrace. Perhaps it was just remnants from a pleasant dream. Whatever it was, it gave the man confidence and an ounce of positivity he needed for the rest of the day that was to come. 

All his life the writer new he was different. Other boys his age played sports and chased skirts, while he was in the library. When he finally hit the age of change he learned this wasn’t the only reason he was different. The world around him determined he had to hide what he was. 

But the 60’s came and everyone was too busy with everything going on, that Nick felt free for the first time in his life. Early in his college career he experimented with drugs and had a few sauntry affairs. None that stuck or were worth while.  
He remembered those days with fondness as he prepared for the day. He was determined to learn more about this mysterious man from yesterday. But more eager to learn why he felt so familiar to him. Nick cleared his schedule and drove back to the library, eager to learn more about this mysterious man. 

Hours later and he was still sitting behind a desk reading any bit of information he could lay his hands on about the Jay Gatsby. His hands fumbled around the token as he read on. It was already dark again when the librarian found him. 

“Oh Nick, good you’re still here. It’s about time for lunch.”

She dropped her lunch on the table and joined him. She looked him over and noticed he hadn’t brought any food and split her sandwich with him. 

“Thank you.” 

“Of course my dear. Now tell me what are you reading about?” 

“Hmm? Oh just about that Gatsby man.” 

“You’re obsessed.” 

“Maybe, I just want to meet him.” 

“Oh, haven’t you heard?” 

“Heard what?” He said with a mouthful of food. 

“On the news Mr. Gatsby passed away in his sleep last night. The butler found him this morning.” 

“How? But I just saw him!” 

“I know it’s crazy.”

“Here I brought the paper in for you. I had a feeling you might want to read it.” 

She handed him the paper, hot off the press. It was a photo of the older man he just met. 

“I…. I’m sorry, I gotta go.” 

“I thought as much, good luck! I hope you find what you’re looking for!” 

She shouted after him. As other patrons of the library shushed her. She muttered under her breath as she continued to eat her lunch. 

“Oh, don’t shush me I know. I’m the librarian.” 

Nearing Dusk, Nick arrived at a beautifully ornate house in west egg. The last known address of the late Mr. Gatsby. Anxiety filled every step but he forced himself to knock. He came all this way, he needed to know more about the man. And to pay his respects. 

Nick cautiously banged on the door, hoping someone in this monstrously large home heard him. When suddenly the door slowly creaks open. On the other side of the door was a frost haired butler with an even colder countenance. 

“Hello My name is Nick Carraway, I was a friend of Mr. Gatsby’s.”  
The door was about to shut in his face, when he stuck out his foot to prevent it from shutting. 

“Ow! Anyway um sir, he gave this to me right before he past away! I want to learn more about him.” 

The older man’s eyes lit up in recognition of the small cuff link in Nick’s outstretched hand. Where had the boy gotten these? 

“You said he gave these to you? The butler spoke with a grave voice.” Unused to speaking for such a long time. 

“Yes yesterday, he came to my book signing and handed this to me.” 

Just then the door swung fully open and the man motioned him to follow. Nick entered and his mouth had fallen to the floor. As lavish as the exterior was, the interior was even more decadent. He struggled to recover and follow the man onward, further into the home. 

The butler led him into a room covered from wall to wall in books. Two ladders on each side to reach the top layer. And another balcony level filled with more. 

“This is, or was I should say, his study. I do hope you find what you were looking for in here.”

Nick scours through the library unsure of what exactly he was looking for. He found whole cases filled with books on time, and time traveling. One written by his fav professor back in his college days. His hands wander touching everything as he feels he’s been here before. Then on Gatsby’s desk he notices a familiar book. The same one he had signed only hours before. And next to it was the other matching cufflink, waiting for him. 

The author grabbed the other cuff link and saw himself out. He drove aimlessly uncertainty and all manner of questions clouded his mind. So much so he almost crashed as he was deep in thought. Deciding it’d be safer to rest for the night then to continue to drive home. He finds a nearby hotel, and as he was signing his name into the guest book, a peculiar thought jumped out at him. What if he signed in just like this but back in the 20’s? 

“Excuse me?” 

“Yes sir?” 

“How long do you keep these guest books for?” 

“For a year all of the older ones are sent to storage.” 

“Do you have any dating back into the 20’s?” 

“I’m sure we do sir, back in storage.” 

“May I see them?” 

“I’m afraid I cant let you sir. Hotel policy requires customer privacy and all that. Unless you’re a cop.” 

“Detective actually.” 

Nick had no idea what compelled him to say that, to lie to the man. 

“Really?” 

“Yes, I’m assigned to solve old murders.” 

“Cops actually do that?” 

“Detective. I was hired by a family.” 

“Oh, okay well let me just locate them for you then sir.” 

“Thank you.” 

Nick waited in the lobby for what felt like an hour when the man from earlier reappeared with a yellowed box marked “20’s.” 

“Alright here you go sir, all of our ledgers from the 20’s.” 

“Thank you.” 

Nick grabbed the box and went to his room. He searched through them flipping pages like a wild man. Until it was July 1928. His finger traced every name on each day. Worry filled him as he continued onward. Will he find his name? What if he did, what then? When finally on July 8th, 1929 at 4pm was a signature he was all too familiar with. In scratchy hand he read out loud.

‘Nicholas Carraway.’ 

Nick shot off from his bed and paced the room. How could it be?! How was his name in the book of a hotel in the 1920’s?! His eyes landed on the book written by his professor. “Time” He felt compelled to take it when he was at Gatsby’s. 

He quickly grabbed the phone and called him up. 

“Professor it’s Nick, Nick Carraway. I was in your class ten years ago about philosophy and time travel. I just read your book and I have a lot of questions. Can I meet you in person to talk about it sometime this week?…You’re free tomorrow? Ok that’s great I’ll be there!” 

He hung up and sat on his bed. What the hell had he got himself into? And what the hell is tomorrow going to bring?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking forever for another chapter. I'm trying my best to recall both stories and merging them together isn't as easy as i had once thought.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! I will try my best to update biweekly at the very least. As for number of chapters I'm not quite sure yet, at least 4.
> 
> You can follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/CAPTAINofdaSHIP) for updates and more shipping content.


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